Structural unit



July 22, 1941. F. s. BAKER 2,250,411

STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed May 10, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l I I is F1 3. 9 a v is INVE TOR I i M V-QM ATTO N EYS m s. am,

July 22, 1941.

STRUCTURAL UNIT F. s. BAKER 2,250,411

Filed May 10, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Emm 1y Sinker,

A ORNEYS July 22, 1941 STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed May 10, I939 Fig.3. Q

F. s. BAKER 2,250,411

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Patented July 22, 1941 STRUCTURAL UNIT Franklin S. Baker, Buffalo, N. Y.; Ruth Marion Baker administratrix of said Franklin S. Baker,

deceased Application May 10, 1939, Serial No. 272,873

8 Claims. till. 72-68) This invention relates to improvements in building construction, and more particularly to an improved method and means for mounting tiles, slabs, or other block-like building elements upon supporting structures.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of slab securing means and an improved and simplified method for mounting slabs equipped with my novel securing means upon supporting structures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified method and means for securing slabs to supporting structure in vibration-proof manner. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification herein.

. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a ceiling and side wall base structure and slabs equipped with securing means of the invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a View on an enlarged scale corresponding to a portion of Fig. 1 and showing one of the slab elements of Fig. l in various intermediate positions during the mounting process;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating diagrammatically the functioning of a connection device of the invention during various stages ofthe tile mounting process;

Fig. 4 is a perspective, on an enlarged scale, of an element of the mounting means of Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line VV of Fig. l

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a slab and connection device arrangement of the invention;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the structure of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of a modified arrangement of sl-ab mounting means of the in- ,vention;

Fig, 9 is a plan of a metal pan adapted to be filled with non-rigid type insulation or sound absorbing material equipped with connection devices of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line XX of Fig. 9 and Fig. 11 is a view of another form of connection device of the invention.

Although many prior forms of connection devices for mounting tile, slabs, or the like have been developed and put into use, these previous forms of connection devices have involved certain serious disadvantages and objections such as being impermanent; complicated and/or expensive of manufacture and application; and subject to movement relative to the supporting device under conditions of vibration, or the like. The types of building tile and slab elements with which my invention is concerned are usually made of some form of relatively frangible plaster-like or fibrous materials, and relative movement between adjacent mounted slabs of these types will cause the slab material to become loosened and to filter out of the crevice therebetween in the form of dust-like particles. Hence, if the slab supporting structure is subjected to vibration or other movement, such as is usually the case in modern buildings, it is desirable that the slab securing means be of such nature as to hold the slabs firmly against the supporting structure with a resilient gripping type of action. At the same time, the securing means will preferably be of simple and inexpensively manufacturable form.

Also, previous forms of slab mounting devices have usually required accurate initial locating of the supporting elements because of inability to compensate for inaccuracies in the relative dis-.

position of the mounting means. For example, convention-a1 connection means usually provide definite final positions for the slabs relative to the supporting devices in at least one lateral direction, and therefore no adjustments for inaccuracies in the disposition of the supporting members may be made at the time of mounting the slabs thereon, and the slabs will consequently be finally located in undesirable positions.

. The invention contemplates the provision, in combination with slab structures, of novel supporting devices and hook elements which extend outwardly from the rear surfaces of the slabs for engagement with members of the supporting devices which are spaced outwardly from wallor ceiling base structures. For example, as illustrated in Fig. l, slabs or tiles 10 are shown as being provided with hooks l2 and I8 of the invention; each of the hooks having portions ex-v tending substantially parallel to the inner face portion of the tile and spaced therefrom for gripping engagement upon supporting plate members 20 disposed therebetween. The hook I2 is in the form of a bent Wire or rod having a portion 13 extending into' the tile and laterally bent at the lower end It thereof (Fig. 3) for locking engagement with the material of the tile. At its opposite end the hook is bent laterally and in a slightly inclined relation toward the tile as at l5 into a definite spaced relationship with respect to the opposed surface portion of the tile; the normal set position of the free end of the hook being such that the supporting plate 20 may be received between the tile and the hook upon elastic deformation of the hook. The extreme outer end of the section l of the hook is turned upwardly to facilitate manual wedging and insertion of the plate 2|] between the hook and the tile.

The plate 20 which may be made of metal, wood, or any other suitable material, is supported upon the building rafters, studding, or other base structure and in spaced relation therefrom as by means of fasteners 22 which are of conventional form, and spacers 24 in the form of sleeves are mounted upon the fasteners 22 between the plate 20 and the base structure in abutting relation for spacing the plate from the base. The spacers 24 may be provided of various lengths so as to allow for compensating for variations in the surface of the base structure and to provide mounting of the plate 20 in uniiformly level form throughout its length. If necessary, the plate 20 is bored and countersunk as at 26 to receive the fasteners and to permit the heads of the fasteners 22 to come flush with the outer face of the plate. The fasteners 22 are disposed at spaced intervals along the line of the plate 20 according to the requirements in each case, (Fig. 5) and the lateral dimensions of the spacers 24 are small as compared to the distances between adjacent spacers, thus enabling a series of contiguous tiles to be clamped upon the plate 20 as illustrated in Fig. 5 without interference between the hook members and the fasteners and spacers.

The outer ends of the hooks |2 terminate just outside of the line of the end face 30 of the tile, and the section I5 of the hook extends inwardly therefrom for a distance sufficient to allow the plate to be forced between the hooks and the tile in the manner illustrated in broken lines (Fig. 3) the hook sections l5 passing laterally beyond the spacer elements 24. Thus, means are provided for mounting the tile H] at its edge in the region of the hooks |2 upon the plate 20 in a combination hanger-suspended and resiliently gripped relation.

To mount the tile H1 upon its supports, the outwardly extending end portion of the hook I2 is firstlapped over the adjacent edge portion of the plate 2|] as shown in broken lines, Fig. 3, and the tile is then moved laterally with sufficient force to cause the plate 20 to be wedged between the hook ,I 2 and the rear face of the tile as illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 3. This wedging action of the plate 20 will elastically deform the hook |2 with the result that a resilient gripping action upon the plate between the tile and the hooks is provided as indicated by the arrows in the drawing. Particular attention is called to the fact that the hooks I2 and the plates 20 are so shaped and proportioned as to allow movement of the tile to the position shown in solid lines (Fig. 3) while at the same time the tile is disposed in an inclined relation with respect to the line of the supporting base structure. 7

The hooks l8 disposed adjacent the opposite edge of the tile H! are substantially of the same form as the hooks l2, except that the free end portions of the hooks 8 are of somewhat shorter dimension and terminate inside of the line of the opposed end face 32 of the tile l0 (Fig. 1). The tile and hook structure is so proportioned and arranged that when. the tile is shifted laterally to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3 the outer end of the hooks I8 will clear the adjacent edge of a supporting plate 2| which corresponds to the plate 20 previously described. Consequently, the edge of the tile adjacent the hooks I8 may then be moved upwardly to the solid line position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the edge of the plate 2| abuts the adjacent edge portion of the tile and limits the upward movement of the tile to the proper line. The tile may then be shifted laterally and to the right as viewed in the figures to the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein the end face 32 of the tile is disposed in abutting relation against the adjacent side wall portion of the base structure. During this lateral movement of the tile the outer end of the hook l8 will have become elastically deformed in connection with reception of the plate 2| between the hook and the rear face of the tile in resiliently gripped relation therebetween. Due to the length of the free end portion l5 of the hook l2, it will be seen that the lateral shifting of the tile to the right will not disengage the hook |2 from the plate 20, and that during the lifting of the right hand edge of the tile the clamping portion of the hook |2 will merely rock upon the plate 20, and upon the lateral shifting of the tile to the position shown in Fig. 2, the hooks l2 and the left hand edge of the tile |0 will move to the solid line position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the end face portion 30 of the tile is approximately along the line of the fasteners 22. Thus, the tile ID has been mounted upon the base structure in an improved manner, the hooks l2 and I8 providing a resilient gripping action upon the plates 20' and 2|, respectively, to the end that the mounting of the tile will be permanently vibration-proof.

- It will be understood that it is within the concept of the present inventionthat the supporting plates of the structure may be of any suitable form. For example, in Fig. l, the plate 20 is illustrated as being in the form of a simple sheet or" metal or Wood or the like which is suspended from. the ceiling by means of fasteners 22; spacers 24 beingemployed to locate the plate in spaced relation from the ceiling. However, any other suitable form of construction may be employed such as inverted T-shaped or I-shaped structural members or the like having their web portions cut away at intervals to permit passage of the hooks therethrough. As illustrated, the plate H is in the form of an angle having a bottom flange portion extending laterally from the side wall base structure. However, it is understood that any other equivalent device may be employed for the purpose. For example, a flat plate may be partially embedded in the side wall in such mariner as to have a side edge portion extending laterally for cooperation with the'hook and tile elementspreviously described. As illustrated in Fig. 4, a convenient form of spacer element 24 is shown as comprising essentially a sleeve-like element having an opening in a side Wall portion thereof as at 25. This form of construction facilitates the mounting of the supporting plates 20 upon the base structure because it enables the workmen to lay the plate 20 directly against the base structure and to start driving the nails 22 into the base structure through the countersunk openings 26 of the plate. As soon as the nails catch hold the plate may be lowered away from the base structure and will be carried by the heads of the nails in suspended relation. The spacers 24 may then be mou ed. upon the nails by fitting them laterally ,thereon. The plate 2|! may then be held up against the spacers and the nails driven home.

thus completing the tile supporting structure with a minimum of parts-handling difllculty.

Upon mounting of the tile ID in final position as shown in Fig. 1, an adjacent tile 40 may be mounted in abutting relation thereagainst, the tile 4!] being provided with hook elements in a manner identical with the arrangement hereinabove described in connection with tile II]. For this purpose a second supporting plate 50 corresponding to plate 20 is provided (Fig. 2) and mounted upon the base structure in the manner of plate 20 previously. described. The tile 40 is mounted by lapping the extreme outer end of its hooks l2 upon the adjacentedge portion of the plate 50, then forcing the tile laterally to a position corresponding to the broken line position shown in Fig. 2 and until the outer end of the hook l8 clears the adjacent edge portion of the plate 20. The right hand edge of the tile 40 is then moved upwardly into abutting relation with the lower face portion of the plate 20 in a manner identical to that illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 2. The 40 is then shifted to the right until it moves into abutting relation with the tile Ill (Fig. 1), thus completing the hooked mounting of the tile upon the plates 20 and 50. Similar additional rows of tile (not shown) will be provided and mounted in the same manner until the desired complete structure is obtained.

It will be understood that the hooks I2 and I8 of the inventionmay be provided of a variety of forms within the concept of this invention. For example, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the hooks are shown as having had their inner end portions embedded in the material of the tiles upon casting of the latter. 'In many cases this willprovide a very satisfactory type of construction, and by offsetting the lines of the hooks l2 and i8 with respect to one another (Fig. 6) it will be seen that the tiles may be conveniently nested for transportation in a manner that will save considerable space and protect the extending end portions of the hooks from accidental damage. As shown in Figs. 8 to 11, however, the hooks may be connected to the tile elements in other Ways. For example, Fig. 8 illustrates a method of mounting the hooks in a tile subsequent to formation of the tile. This method involves cutting-into the tile as at 6!! and providing an internal bore 62 leading inwardly from the inner end of the cut 80 for reception of the turned inner ends of the hooks inserted at the job. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate hook elements 64 of the invention as being provided in connection with a hollow tray or pan B of the type sometimes used to support nonrigid heat-insulating and sound-absorbing materials in conjunction with present day buildin methods. The hooks 64 illustrated as being connected to the pan structure by means of rivets or bolts or the like, but it will be understood that any other suitable form of connection may be employed. Or, the hook portions 64 may be portions of the pan-structure bent into the form shown. Fig. 11 illustrates another form of hook construction wherein a conventional nail-like element has been bent to provide a spike portion 72 adapted to be driven at an angle inwardly of the tile Ill, and an intermediate body portion 13 corresponding to the sec-tions l5 of the hooks I2 of Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 11 also illustrates another feature of the invention involving a re-enforcement of.the tile structure in conjunction with the mounting of the hooks thereof. Many tile or slab-like building elements are formed of relatively frangible material and I have found that a re-enforcing veneer 15 may be advantageously applied to the rear surface of such tile in the region. of the mountings of the hook elements thereon. This veneer 15 may be in the form of sheet metal or wood or paper, or the like, and may bev cemented to the tile or otherwise fastened thereto in any suitable manner.

- Fig. 5' illustrates in transverse section the mounting of a. row of tile l0, corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. It will be understood that any desired number. of the hooks l2 and 18 may be employed in series along the corresponding edges of the tiles, and that the number and relative arrangement of these hooks will depend upon the dimensioning and shape and physical characteristics of the tiles. In cases, however, wherein two or more such hooks will be provided adjacent each edge, the type of mounting illustrated in Fig. 5 will be obtained, and it will be understood that in such case the tiles re-enforce the plates 20 and 50 against bending stresses and function as stiffeners for the plates, the entire loads of the tiles upon the plates being substantially converted into shear. Consequently, the plates are relieved of bending loads, and in the case of ceiling structures there will be no substantial tendencies to sag. Also, as illustrated in Fig. 6, additional hooks may be provided intermediately of the tiles for mounting connection with supporting plates disposed intermediately of the end faces of tiles of relatively large area. and thin section which require support intermediately of their edges.

As shown in Fig. 3, a preferred construction of the hooks of the invention involves a roughening of the under surface of the hooks which come into frictional engagement with the supporting plate members, as at 85, to provide increased frictional resistance to accidental shifting of the tile relative to the supporting plates, thus making the completed structure more rigid and permanent.

In any-case, it will be understood that one of the most important features of the invention resides in the novel shaping and propontioning of the supporting plate and hook elements which allows for lateral shifting of the tile in any direction with respect to the supporting structure while the engaged hooks are resiliently clamped upon the supporting plates. Consequently, inac curacies in the mounting of the supporting de-' vices upon the base structures may be compensated for upon mounting of the tiles upon the supporting devices, there being no definite 'positions of final setting for the tiles relative to the supporting devices. Hence, a lesser degree of care may be employed in connection with mounting of the supporting devices and a perfectly uniform and smoothly finished structure may be produced upon application of a reduced degree of working skill.

t will be understood that the hooks l2 and I8 of the invention may be formed of a variety of types of material, and of either round or rectangular section form, the selection of the material used and the dimensioning of the parts being regulated according to the physical characteristics of the slab to be supported and the loads upon' the hooks. Also, it will be understood that the lengths of the exposed end portions of the hooks may be increased, if desired, beyond the bare necessary length for accommodating the laterally shifting movements of the slabs in connection with the mounting process as hereinabove described, and that in the interest of standardi zation,.the hooks l2 and I 8 may be of identical' form. 1

It is contemplated that the hooks of the inventionlmay be installed in connection with slabs either at the time of slab manufacture as by embedding the hooks in the plastic material of the slab before it becomes set; or the hooks may be inserted in the slabs subsequent to the manufacture thereof either at the slab manufacturing plant or at the scene of the erection of the slabs as by driving the spike end portions of the hooks into the slab material or inserting them into the specially prepared openings as at 60 (Fig. 8). Hence, if the problem of transportation of the slabs to the scene of erection would be considered tobe made difficult by reason of prior installation of the hooks in the slabs, this may be avoided by arranging. to have the hooks inserted in the slabs at the point of use. However, as explained hereinabove, in the case of the previously installed hookarrangement I prefer to offset the line of the different rows of hooks from one another as illustrated in Figs. 6, 8 and 9 so that the. slabs may be bundled for transportation in back-tback paired relation without interference between ,the hooks of the paired slabs, thus protecting the hooks during transportation and reducing the amount of space required. .Also, this offsetting of the lines of opposed hooks prevents interference between adjacent hooks of contiguous tiles when mounted or during process of mountmg.

It will be, understood that one important advantage of the invention is that it provides a construction that may be made totally fire proof, there being no necessity for the use of inflammable materials. Also, the structure of the invention lends itself perfectly to the use of air sealing and/or heat insulating elements between the base structure and the mounted slab elements. For example, building paper or mineral wool or the like may be inserted between the ceiling or wall structure and the slabs 10 at the time of mounting the latter upon the connection devices with utmost convenience, and thus the finished structure will be insulated against air filtration and/or heat transfer therethrough.

Although only a limited number of forms of the invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

A building structure comprising a base, a pair of parallel spaced slab supporting plate members separately mounted upon said base and in spaced relation therefrom bymeans of spaced connection devices extending from said base, and a structural unit of the general form of a slab provided with a pair of resilient supporting hook members mounted in cantilever fashion upon said slab and extending outwardly from the rear sur face portion of said slab and having elastically deformed body portions extending substantially parallel to said slab rear surface portion and in opposite directions towards the ends of said slabs into clamping engagement with different of said plate members, said body portions being elongated so as to allow endwise shifting of said slab relative to said plate members without disengagement therefrom for successive engagement of said'hook members upon said plate members during the process of mounting said slab upon said'plate members.

2. A building structure comprising a base, a pair of parallel spaced slab supporting plate members separately mounted upon said base and in spaced relation therefrom by means of spaced connection devices extending from said base, and a structural unit of the general form of a slab provided wtih a pair of resilient supporting hook members mounted in. cantilever fashion upon said slab and extending outwardly from the rear surface portion of said slab and having elastically deformed body portions extending substantially parallel to said slab rear surface portion and in opposite directions towards the ends of said slab into clamping engagement with different of said plate members, said body portions being elongated so as to allow endwise shifting of said slab relative to said plate members without disengagement therefrom for successive engagement of said hook members upon said plate members during the process of mounting said slab upon said plate members, said hook members being roughened at the region of their frictional engagement with said plate members to prevent accidental displacement therefrom.

3. A building structure comprising a base, a pair of parallel spaced slab supporting plate members separately mounted upon said base in spaced relation therefrom by means of spaced connection devices extending from said base, and a building unit in the general form of a slab provided with a pair of supporting hook members mounted in cantilever fashion upon said slab and extending outwardly from the rear surface portion of said slab and having free end portions extending substantially parallel to said rear surface portion and in opposite directions towards the ends of said slab into clamping engagement with their corresponding plate members, said hook members being so proportioned as to allow endwise shifting of said slab relative to said plate members for successive engagement of said hook devices upon said plate members during the process of mounting said slab upon said plate members, said hook members being disposed along lines oifset from one another.

4. A building unit in the general form of a slab provided with series of hooks extending outwardly from the rear surface of said slab at opposite end portions thereof, said hooks having portions extending inclined to the rear surface of said slab and toward the corresponding adjacent end portions thereof, said extending portions of said hooks being resilient and adapted to clamp slab supporting plate devices between said slab and said extending hook portions and being soproportioned as to allow endwise shifting ofsaid slab relative to said plate devices for successive engagement of said hooks upon said plate devices during the process of mount- 1 ng said slab upon said plate devices, and another series of hook members disposed intermediately of said slab ends and extending outwardly of said rear slab surfaceand having resilient pertions extending substantially parallel to said rear slab surface and toward one of said slab end portions.

5. A building unit comprising a slab of fla gible material provided with a hook el m t having a leg portion partially embedded in said slab material and a body portion extending therefromin spaced relation to the rear surface of said unit for resiliently gripping a unit supporting member between said unit and said hook when under elastically deformed condition, said hook body portion being inclined relative to the adjacent surface portion of said slab and terminating in a free end bearing portion for bearing upon said slab supporting member, and a re-enforcing mat mounted upon the rear surface of said unit in the region of said hook.

6. A building construction unit of generally slab-like form comprising a slab having a pair of supporting hooks extending from the rear face of said slab and disposed adjacent opposite end faces thereof, said hooks having end portions embedded in said slab and body portions extending substantially parallel to the rear surface of said slab and toward corresponding opposed end faces thereof, one of said hooks extending slightly beyond the line of its corresponding slab end face, the other of said hooks terminating just inside of the line of its corresponding slab end face.

'7. A building construction unit of generally slab-like form for mounting upon a supporting plate member comprising a slab provided with a supporting hook extending outwardly therefrom in cantilever fashion, said hook having a resilient main body portion disposed in opposed spaced relation to the rear surface of said slab and inclined downwardly toward its free end and relative to the rear surface of said slab and terminating in a bearing portion adapted to engage said supporting member, whereby said hook is adapted to resiliently grip said supporting plate against said slab and whereby said tile may be rocked relative to said supporting plate during mounting thereof without substantially varying the stresses upon the connection between said hook and said slab.

8. A building construction unit provided with hook devices having body portions inclined relative to the major plane of said unit and extending towards opposite ends thereof and terminating in free end bearing portions for bearing upon plate-like unit supporting devices, said body portions bein so elongated as to allow sidewise shifting of said unit relative to said plate-like devices without disengagement therefrom for successive engagement of said hook devices upon said plate-like devices in connection with the process of mounting said unit thereon.

FRANKLIN S. BAKER.

Patent No. 2,2 0,1n1.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. v

I July 22, 19in,

FRANKLIN s. BAKER.

It is hereb} certified thate'rror appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, sec- .ond column, after "thereon"- in line 21L, and before .the signature in line 25, insert the following claim f9. A building unit in the general form ofa slab of material having a recess formed in a rear surface portion thereof and bored at abottom portion of said recess to accommodatean end portion ofa slab supporting hook device in anchored relation therein.

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25rd day of September, A. D. 19L I.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

